Creating a Sustainable 100 Day Project

You may have noticed a growing popularity with people starting a 100 day project. The concept of the 100 day project is that anyone who wants to participate chooses something they want to do every day for 100 days and shares it online. I believe the idea started with artist and author Elle Luna. You can start anytime you want, but there is an encouraging community that develops when people do it at the same time. Check the100dayproject.org to see if there are new dates planned, or invite your friends to join you and start whenever you want.

I have now completed four 100 day projects. Three of the projects were back to back. All my projects have been maintaining a habit of daily drawing, which I have been doing since January 2016. My 100 day projects have all improved my drawing skills, encouraged others in their creative projects and increased my confidence in my ability to improve. I have discovered 100 day projects to be contagious; I just want to do more.

Based on my own experience with 100 day projects, here are six ways you can create a sustainable 100 day project:

Track your progress. Part of a successful project will include remembering to do it. It seems obvious but it you don’t have a way to remind yourself, it’s easy to forget. Use my printable 100 day habit tracker in your planner or post them on your wall to make your progress visible.

Set the bar low. I wrote about choosing a manageable habit in my post called Creating a Sustainable Daily Habit. I think it’s important to remember that you need to choose what is manageable to you, right now. And don’t compare what is sustainable for you with anyone else. Part of setting the bar low may be limiting the time you will spend on the project every day. The more realistic you are the more success you will have.Here are some of the drawings I made as part of my daily habit:

Start smaller. One way to creative a sustainable daily project is to start with a month at a time. If you complete your monthly project successfully, you could try a 100 day project next. You can track your monthly projects with my printable monthly habit trackers.

Share your progress. I think one of the key reasons for many people success in 100 day projects, including my own is the community created by sharing your progress online. Share your projects on Instagram with your own hashtag, for example: #100daysof… or share using the same hashtag as many others #the100dayproject.

Choose the right time of day. If you are a night owl but plan to start a daily project early in the morning you will be setting yourself up for failure. Choose a time that will work best for you most days. Maybe you can do it while you have breakfast, or during your lunch break. I learned that later in the day wasn’t as good for me because I get more tired. Now I set my alarm for 5:45 am and draw before our kids are awake.

Change if it’s not working. Before you start, you may think you have a realistic plan for a sustainable daily project but discover after a few days that some part of your plan doesn’t work. Don’t quit. Figure out how to modify your plan to make it more manageable.

Have you tried a 100 day project? I’d love to hear your experience, leave a comment below.